Kryptonite Traps
by charmed-darkangel
Summary: Max Lord continues his attempts against Supergirl, this time he managed to get his hands on green kryptonite, and he isn't afraid to experiment with it. Kara holding back from Alex after Myriad, finds herself opening to Cat, who is starting to see her ex-assistant in a new light. Supercat, Alex/Lucy. Also on AO3
1. So It Begins

**Author's notes:** So I haven't writted fanfiction in maybe 4 or 5 years, and trying to get back to it now. Got a few ideas for supergirl stories, so here's one. Please excuse any errors, if I don't write and put it up, I won't write it at all. I don't know yet where I'm going with this, but it will be a short story. Let me know what you think, ideas and suggestions always welcome.  
I'm ignoring the pod landing at the end of finale for this story.

* * *

"Consider this a warning, Max. Leave me alone," Supergirl barked as she floated with a drone that had the Lord Tech logo on it behind her. It has been following her and she had enough of it. She lured the drone to one of Maxwell Lord's factories, where she tracked him, to make her threat to the man himself.

Supergirl turned quickly and caught the drone before it can fly off. She made a point to maintain eye contact with Max as she used her super strength to destroy the drone with her bare hands. Max's smirk confused her, she was delivering a threat, destroying his property, and he looked like he won. The metal was easily bending under her hands, and she can hear the wires buzzing. Suddenly, green smoke quickly emitted from the drone and surrounded her. She felt dizzy instantly. 'Kryptonite,' she realized.

"You see, Supergirl," Max started smugly, "You are not all powerful, like you would like to think."

Supergirl landed to the ground, her strength slowly being drained with every breath. And yet she couldn't get away.

"I need you to remember that. We can stop you whenever we want. I can stop you," Max circled around her as he gave his speech, and watched her fall to her knees as the Kryptonite gas engulfs her, "I can end you right now," he pulled out a knife and held it to her neck, as he pulled her by her hair, "It would just be too easy." He pulled the knife away slowly, leaving a trail of blood.

"So YOU consider this a warning, Supergirl." He stood up straight and in one quick motion, punched Supergirl in the face, causing her to slam to the ground, and groan in pain. "Now I suggest you leave my property as you are trespassing," He signals 2 guards over and watches them drag the fallen heroine outside the company gates, delivering a few kicks and punches each as they logged her into a car and drove off.

He smiles smugly at the night's success, "And so it begins."

* * *

The factory was in a remote location, just outside the city, and Kara hadn't told anyone she is going. She lies were the guards have thrown her, face down in the dirt. She was having a hard time breathing, as if the Kryptonite gas had taken permanent residence inside her lungs. She needed the sun, that was the only thing that would counteract it, but it was late at night, long time till the sun is up. She tries to push herself up from the ground, but immediately falls back. She resigned to flipping herself on her back, and lying down, trying to catch her breath.

After a while, she tried to find her phone, but couldn't find it. She must've lost it somewhere between the kryptonite attack and the guards kicking her out, literally. Alex is going to kill her for going to Max, especially with no backup. Kara looked up at the sky, watching the stars. She would've enjoyed the view, if her position was not ironic. Max Lord bring her down to her knees and leaving her with stars swimming in her vision. The pain in her head was increasing, was it possible for an alien to get a concussion? That was her last thought as she finally let her exhaustion take over, and passed out.

She woke up to an annoying beeping, and the sun shining brightly in her eyes. She fumbled around and found her phone. 'So I did have it' She thought as she pressed a button and the alarm stopped; it was her first morning alarm, the one that meant for if she wanted to wake up, bathe in the sun, take a long shower, have breakfast, do a quick patrol, change into her work clothes, have a second breakfast on her way to CatCo, and be at the office an hour before Cat to prep for the day, then go grab Cat's latte from Noona's along with a sticky bun. Each successive alarm would mean she sacrifices something that morning. It usually depended on what was happening the night before. And she had one hell of a night.

Kara broke out of her thoughts, and stood up slowly, with surprisingly a lot of struggle. By the time she was standing, she was out of breath. Her head was still hurting. She looked at her phone to see 17 missed calls from Alex. Kara hit the call back button as she took a deep breath and shot up towards the sky, letting the sun wrap itself around her as she flew back to the city.

"Kara, I've been calling you all night," came Alex's half irritated, half concerned voice, "You missed the DEO briefing, and never showed up for our dinner and movie night."

Kara groaned guiltily as she realized she had accidently stood Alex up. "Al-ex," Kara croaked, surprised to find her voice breaking from disuse, and lying down outside all night.

"Kara, are you okay?" Alex's voice was all concern now. "Where are you?"

Kara cleared her throat, "I'm headed to my apartment," She answered vaguely.

"I will see you there!" Kara can already hear Alex moving.

"But I am late for wo—"

"Kara, don't start with me! I was already on my way." Kara sighed as she agreed and hung up. She was flying slower than usual this morning, it was taking all her energy just to focus on that.

* * *

She landed on the fire escape outside her apartment with a thud, and went in through the window. She walked to her mirror and cringed at what she saw. She was covered in dirt from head to toe, and there was dried blood on her face and neck. She was very pale, and noticed that her hands were shaking. Her encounter with Max last night was a close call. Too close. Kara fell to her knees in exhaustion, just as Alex walks in, using her own key to unlock the door. One look at Kara, and she quickly dropped her bag to the ground and rushed to her side.

"What the hell happened?" She asked as looked Kara over. Kara threw her head back as she sighed but that send searing pain in her side, and caused her to wince in pain. Alex led her to the couch to sit down. "Kara, what…" Alex trailed off as Kara closed her eyes, and silent tears made their way down her face. To say Alex was worried was an understatement. She was already preparing a mental list of who could have done this to her sister and how she would neutralize them.

"You're okay, Kara," Alex tried to comfort her sister.

"Max… Max Lord."

Alex felt her anger consume her in less than a second. The DEO should have never released that asshole. "I'm going to kill him. How did he even hurt you?" Alex looked at the dried blood in concern. "I need to take you to the DEO."

Kara was already trying to sit up and shaking her head, "Alex, no—"

"Kara, I need to have you checked over, you are obviously in a lot of pain, so whatever Max used to hurt you might not have work off yet. We don't even know what he used." Alex sent a quick message from her phone, requesting a medical evac at Kara's place. Usually they were more careful, but she couldn't take the risk this time.

"Kryptonite," Kara breathed heavily, knowing that Alex was right. "Gas."

"What? How did he even—" Alex pinched her nose, trying not to lash her anger out on her injured sister. She didn't know how Max got his hands on Kryptonite, let alone manage to alter its form into gas. She definitely needed to get her sister to the lab immediately; they haven't dealt with this before.

* * *

At the DEO, the medical team acted quickly, taking her vitals, and blood samples, dressing her cuts and laying her in the sun beds. Kara's breathing was worrying them, as she was wheezing by the time Alex got her there. Alex watched her team work efficiently, they have tended to Supergirl long enough now that Alex didn't need to supervise, and instead can work on trying to analyze the blood and test results.

"How is she?" Lucy asks as she enters. She was still acting as director-in-charge, as per the military's command. The DEO agents have grown to respect, and even like her. It was quickly obvious that even though Lucy was on the other team, she was doing right by this agency, and not letting the military takeover. She had even managed to get a pardon for Alex, but J'onn's situation was more complicated. And he had insisted on pursing project Cadmus, and as much as Alex wanted to join him, she needed to there for Kara. Especially after everything after Myriad. And now, she was very glad she was there, because Max Lord was back to his old ways again, even after working with Supergirl during Myriad.

"She's stable now, her body is healing under the sun. It's taking longer than usual though," Alex sighed, Kara briefly mentioned that she had slept in the sun for a few hours already.

"And Max is behind this?" Alex nodded as she looked at a blood sample under the microscope.

"Shit!" She stood up angrily, "The kryptonite is still in her system. She was never attacked by it in gas form, so we don't really know how it would affect her differently."

"How do we get it out?" Lucy asked, ready to jump in action, needing to feel useful. Kara was her friend, not just one of her 'agents'.

"We can't…" Alex ran her hand through her hair, "The sun is the only thing that can help. She will be fine in a couple of hours," Alex pulled some test results on her computer, "it appears that it was a small concentration of kryptonite, mixed with a sedative?" Alex was confused.

"He knocked her out, but didn't hurt her." Lucy speculated, and Alex glared in her direction; here sister was definitely hurt. "What I mean is, he could have done a lot more damage. More concentrated kryptonite, or take advantage of her weak state…"

Alex seethed at the last part of Lucy's statement, but realized she had a point. "To what end though?"

"That we will need to figure out, before he tries something else. I'll get some of the agents to run surveillance on him, maybe that will move us a few steps to catch up on his plans," Lucy declared as she walked out of the lab with Alex. They both stood outside the glass wall of Kara's recovery room.

"We need to be ahead Lucy. I don't want to know how else he plans to hurt my sister," Alex said with determination as she watched Kara sleeping peacefully.

"We will stop him, Alex," Lucy tentatively put her hand on Alex's shoulder to assure her. Alex briefly looked at Lucy's hand then nodded and turned back to her sister.

* * *

At CatCo, Cat stops by Kara's office for the third time today, but the girl was nowhere to be found. The cardigan hobbit didn't give her an excuse this time, he didn't know why Kara wasn't there. Cat was expecting some edits from Kara last night, and her concern started then, when she hadn't received them. She was only worried about the article of course, not Kara… not Supergirl. Cat sighed as she tried calling the girl's phone, something she never did; this was why she had an assistant… A new assistant, Cat groaned as her headache started to grow, because of the lack of proper coffee, not because of her concern for Kara. Her new assistant couldn't even get her coffee order right, and Kara, sweet Kara, wasn't there to get her one this morning.

When her call went unanswered, she hung up. Yes she cared for the girl, but she was still Cat Grant, and she did not leave messages, or call more than once. Cat sighed as turned her irritation on her new assistant. "Get me MY coffee, or don't come back," Cat held her smirk when the girl scrambled to her feet quickly and ran to the elevator. That will do for now. She'll reprimand Kara for hiring an incompetent assistant, and for not showing up to work so soon after her new promotion later, after she made sure that the girl who got under her skin was alright.


	2. Specks of Dust

**Author's notes:** Ah sorry for the delay, got distracted by one-shots ^.^ Thanks a lot for the encouraging comments. This one is a bit slow, but necessary for the build up. Hope you enjoy it.

* * *

Kara wakes up slowly, the sun rejuvenating her. She remembers her encounter with Max, and this time feels angry. _Why could he just leave her alone?_ She sits up slowly, surprised to feel sore.

"Hey, hey, easy," Alex's soft voice comes, and Kara gives a small smile. "How do you feel?"

"Tired," when Alex comes in front of Kara she frowns. There was a faint bruise on Kara's face, near her eye.

"Maybe you should stay on the sun bed for longer."

Kara would have agreed if she hadn't suddenly remembered her job. _Cat. THE EDITS!_ Kara suddenly sprang up from the bed, already unhooking herself from whatever wires and machines Alex had her own.

"See that's the opposite of taking it easy," Alex let her irritation show.

"I have to get to work, Miss Grant is going to kill me, I missed a deadline."

"I don't care, you were seriously hurt Kara, we don't know if that gas is still affecting you, you obviously haven't completely healed for some reason," Alex tried to reason with her sister, it had become more difficult recently. _Since Myriad._

Lucy chose this moment to walk in and quickly caught on what was probably happening, "Supergirl, glad to see you awake," Lucy paused as she noticed the bruise on the girl's face, she turned to Alex who just shrugged, "We need to debrief about the situation."

"Not now Lucy, I need to get to work," Kara answered distracted as she checked her phone and found a few missed calls from Winn and James, and one from Cat. _This was bad_.

"Oh I'm sorry, is the DEO trying to protect their most important asset, and National City's hero, getting in the way of your job as an assistant?" Lucy let the sarcasm drip in her voice. _Everyone was worried, why wasn't Kara?_

"Junior Editor," Kara mumbled. Lucy had her don't-mess-with-me face, and Alex was not even going to have her back on this, "Lucy, I promise I'll be back right after I'm done with work, I've missed half the day already, and you know how much my job means to me."

Lucy's face softened, it was hard not to when it came to Kara.

Kara took it as a sign of approval, and moved to exit the room.

"Kara, please," Alex pleaded after her.

"Alex, I promise I will be back in a few hours. I feel fine now, and will call you if anything changes. I can take care of myself."

"Clearly not if you're going to Max Lord by your own choice," Alex replied. It took some digging but they managed to get the surveillance footage from Max's facility.

Kara glared angrily at Alex, and leaves.

"What has gotten into her?" Lucy asked confused, as she moves closer to Alex, who seemed a bit shaken up by her sister's response. She settles her hand on her arm in attempt to comfort her.

Alex ever so slightly leans into the touch, "No idea."

* * *

"Hey Kara," the barista at Noona's greeted her, then frowned. That seems to be the agreed upon reaction to seeing her today.

"Hi Jill, can I please get Miss Grant's latte? Extra hot,"

"Sure thing," a couple of people ahead of Kara in the line groaned, Kara looked down guiltily. Jill started at Noona's a couple of weeks ago, after Myriad, and was really nice. After hearing some of the stories from the other barista's about Cat, when Kara was rushing in one day, completely frazzled at being late, Jill made sure to always get Kara's order first; that saved Kara—and all of CatCo employees for that matter—from the wrath of a Cat Grant without her morning coffee, that early in the morning.

"Here you go, one devil's coffee," Jill joked as she handed Kara the large cup, Kara smirked, "and a pumpkin spiced latte with cinnamon on top, on the house," Kara's eyes widened in both surprise and happiness, but before she can reply, Jill added with a smile, "You're gonna need the coffee, love, you're late!"

Kara groaned at the reminder, "Thank you so much Jill, appreciate it." This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Cat was typing away at her computer when something made her look up. Kara was walking towards her office. It was a bit scary how much attuned to the girl she has become. Cat looked back down right away, to feign disinterest in Kara showing up finally, but she breathed in relief. _Kara is okay._

"Miss Grant," Kara starts nervously from her position near the door. Cat refusing to look at her was causing knots in her stomach.

"I don't recall flexible hours in your new job description, or missing deadlines," Cat spat, still looking at her laptop. If this was anyone else, anyone else in the world, they would have been fired before even coming to the office. Hell, they would've been fired a long time ago. But this was Kara. _Sunny Danvers who made her heart flutter every time she smiled._ This was Kara, who was also Supergirl, who carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. _Quite literally during Myriad._

"I'm so so sorry Miss Grant," Kara was already stumbling on her words, "I was going to work on it after pat—after coming home, but then I pass—I got really sick, and my sister took me to—to the doctor's," Kara grimaced at her own words. Maybe Alex was right, she is a terrible liar. She places the latte in her hand on Cat's desk.

Cat quirks an eyebrow at both the girl's admission that she was sick, and getting her a latte. One look at Kara, and Cat took back her earlier thoughts that the girl was fine. Forgetting her fear of germs, or her fake anger towards Kara, Cat immediately stood up, walked around her desk to reach the girl. Her hand, almost out of her control, went up to the girl's face, where there was clearly a bruise.

"Kara…" At Kara's widened eyes, Cat remembers herself and pulls back her hand as if being scorched. She stalked towards the balcony, an unspoken sign for Kara to follow.

Kara nervously followed. She had seen the fainting bruise when she was changing into her work outfit, and realized why Alex and Lucy were still concerned. As soon as she was in the balcony, Cat rounded on her.

"Kara," _This was bad, she was calling her by her actual name, twice in a row now,_ "What happened?" Cat's hand again found its way to Kara's face, pushing some stray hairs back, and stroking the area around the bruise lightly.

Heart thumbing in her chest, Kara leaned into Cat's touch, then straightened herself right away when she heard Cat's heart rate speed up. Cat dropped her hand from Kara's face. Realizing that she had just crossed a line, a professional line that she had worked hard on drawing between her and Kara.

"Oh it's nothing, I just uhmm ran into a pole," Cat would have laughed at Kara's pathetic attempts at lying, if she wasn't really worried.

"Do you wanna try that again?" Cat replied irritated.

"Miss Grant, I-" Kara started fumbling with her hands.

"Okay," Cat decided to the give the girl a way out, "Just… Are you alright?" Kara was nervous, Cat recognized and decided not to push the girl who was insisting on keeping her alter-ego a secret.

"Yes! Yes, this is nothing pshhhh," Kara laughed nervously.

Cat took a few steps away from the girl, her lies putting distance between them again. Kara noted that Cat almost looked _disappointed_. Then of course, Cat put her professional mask back on, and walked back into her office.

"I expect those edits on my desk by the end of the day, _Kiera_. You're lucky I insist on setting deadlines a few days in advance. Don't let it happen again," Cat let the threat hang between them, even though she really didn't mean it. She wouldn't fire Kara because of missing a deadline because she had to deal with a crisis as Supergirl, but that didn't mean the girl couldn't do her job, that she very much insists on needing. They'll just have to work out better arrangements.

"Yes, Miss Grant," Kara let her head hang, "hmmm… Thank you Miss Grant."

Cat waved her off as she sat down at her desk, as if Kara isn't worth more of her time. Cat internally cringed at the brief hurt she saw on Kara's face as she walked out. She was learning to bite back her sarcasm, tone down the instinctual need to lash out, around the girl. Kara deserved better. She was a great assistant. _She was a great person_ , Cat corrected herself. If she ever wanted something more with the girl, she is going to have to do a lot better. Cat suddenly stopped that train of thoughts. _When has she started thinking of Kara as more than just an assistant, more than just someone she's mentoring_? This just wouldn't do.

* * *

Kara didn't know what to make of her encounter with Cat. _Miss Grant…_ When did she start calling her Cat in her mind anyway? Cat went from total—well, total Cat Grant—to concerned then straight back to dismissive. Kara subconsciously touched the spot on her cheek that Cat had touched, as if her hand print was permanently engraved there. She was surprised to feel pain. _Have I ever even bruised before?_

And what was up with her, her heartbeat had went out of control at the touch. She's always had a crush on Cat Grant, _how couldn't she?_ But Cat Grant was an expert at driving people away from her, treating them as if they're nothing. But how she felt about Cat these days… _Stockholm Syndrom_ , Kara mused.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Winn entering her office, "Kar-aaa," his words halted at the sight of his friend. She shot him a look. _Don't_. But he couldn't curb his concern. "What happened?"

"Nothing I can't handle," Kara gritted feeling a dull ache starting behind her eyes. That made her eyes widen. _Was she getting a headache?_

"What? What's wrong?"

"hmmm nothing, I just have to go—take care of a thing—Supergirl thing," Winn nodded in understanding, assuming a crisis that required Kara's special kind of intervention.

Kara hastily sped towards the stairwell, not waiting for Winn to reply. She didn't stop till she reached the roof, the sun immediately making her feel calmer. Taking a deep breath, she found that her forming headache had disappeared, and so has the slight ache on her face. _See, all she needed was a little sun, natural sun_ , she added the last part on account that Alex wanted her to stay on the sun bed for longer.

* * *

Back at Noona's, Jill stepped out back to answer a phone call, "Yes, she was late today, but I made sure she got _her_ drink…. Oh just so you know, she had a bruise on her face… Yeah it seems like it…" Jill pulled out a small lead box from her pocket, she opened the box revealing little specks of green dust lining the box, where there was obviously more before, "I'll stop by for a refill, Mr. Lord. This batch is done."


	3. Broken Trust

Kara was tired. Constantly tired as of late. She finds herself slumping over her desk when she can't read the text on her screen anymore. It's been a week since her incident with Max, and things have been quiet since. Lucy and Alex were running surveillance on him, attempting to figure out his angle before he makes his next move on Supergirl. Kara wasn't very happy with DEO agents risking themselves by following Max around, but wasn't given much say on the issue, because Lucy just declared that she's protecting her assets.

She hears a blast in the distance, and immediately jumps to action. Her phone goes off as soon as she takes to the air.

"Supergirl, it's an alien. Wait for DEO backup before engaging," Lucy commands.

"You know I actually don't work for you, right?" Kara answers sarcastically, "I'm not gonna stand by if it's hurting people, Lucy," Kara answers as she arrives to the scene. The commotion was coming from inside a building, and people were rushing out. She uses her x-ray vision to find the alien. "There are too many people, I'm gonna try and lead him out."

"I repeat, Supergirl, standby. We have been tracking him, and we already have a plan of action to minimalize civilian casualties," Lucy insists.

"Minimalize? Lucy I'm there right now, no one has to get hurt," Kara charges forward not waiting to hear Lucy's response. _Punch now, think later_ , she says to herself as she hurls herself at the red creature. She hurls them both out of the building, and they fall to the ground with a thud. Kara is surprised to feel pain in her back from the fall.

Before she can get up, the alien was already attacking her, throwing punch after punch. He mostly misses as Kara uses her super speed to evade his attacks, but he manages to land a punch or two at the end. He turns his attention to the building again, but Kara uses her heat vision to distract. His skin glows, and his size increases.

"Bad move, bad move," Kara says out loud, and touches the ear piece, "Lucy what do we know about this thing?"

"Oh now you ask," Lucy answers irritated, "we don't know the name, but he derives his powers from fire. He's been attacking building at the city's edge with old gas lines. Very flammable."

Kara uses her freeze breath this time, but ends up coughing after a few seconds.

"Supergirl! Are you alright?" The creature grips Kara by her neck before she can answer. She tries to use her super strength to break free, but it doesn't seem to be very effective.

"Kara Zor-El," the creature sneers.

"Oh for Rao's sake, let me guess. My mother sentenced you to Fort Rozz, and you're mad at me for it," Kara finally breaks free and flies the creature right into a building.

Before she can make another move, she hears shots being fired at the creature. She rolls her eyes at what the DEO thinks is a good plan, till she notices the blue impact the bullets leave on the creature's skin. In anger, the creature lunges at the DEO agents, and throws 2 of them into a wall. As the bullets continue, the creature starts shrinking in size, until he's as small as a human. Kara recognizes Alex as she knocks the creature out and apprehends him, leaving a couple of agents to lead him away.

"Alpha team, secure the parameter. Bravo, look for survivors and injured," Alex barks her orders and walks towards Kara. She was pissed at her sister for not following orders. A recurring theme as of late.

* * *

Back at the DEO, the tension between the 3 most powerful women in the room had all agents quiet.

"Supergirl, you can't keep doing this!" Alex says angrily.

"We had a tight plan," Lucy adds as she surveys the damage from the fight on the screens.

"Well obviously your plan wasn't tight enough," Kara answers angrily, "He was going to kill those people if I didn't interfere."

"And look how that ended. A building got destroyed, 2 DEO agents and you got hurt," Alex points at the bruising around Kara's neck.

"I don't get hurt Alex," Kara replies despite feeling the soreness around her neck, "and those agents wouldn't have gotten injured if you had just let me handle it. I did just fine saving the world on my own during Myriad."

Lucy saw that Alex was about to lash out so decided to interfere, "And we are all grateful for you, AND J'onn, Supergirl."

Alex doesn't take the moment to calm down, "Is this what this about?" Alex asks incredulously, "Some hero complex from saving the world? The DEO has been doing that for years, long before you, and even I joined."

"And how effective was the DEO, when Hank and you were arrested, and the army took over, or when its acting-director, who actually works for the army in case anyone is forgetting _,_ " Kara waves at Lucy, "was about to release all the prisoners, and her father wanted to drop a bomb on the city," Kara felt her anger surging through her entire body, but paused when she saw the hurt on Lucy's face. She knew that Lucy had been feeling guilty about her actions under Myriad, and her conflicting feelings when it comes to her father, General Lane. They have talked about this, Kara had assured her it wasn't her fault.

Alex immediately stepped in, even taking a physical step in front of Lucy, as if physically protecting her from the emotional blow, "You know that's not fair."

Kara felt her anger drain as she saw her sister protecting someone from her. Alex always defended her, not this way. She felt her tiredness take over, her neck was not healing as fast as it should have, "I know… I'm sorry, Lucy," Kara apologizes but sees the damage has been done. Lucy wasn't just the director of the DEO, she was her friend. "I just… I am just gonna go." Kara retreats before Alex or Lucy can stop her.

"Vasquez, I want a complete mission report on my desk before the end of the day," Lucy orders and stalks out.

"Yes ma'am," Vasquez answers and looks at Alex, who nods.

Alex follows Lucy to one of the conference rooms. Lucy was breathing heavily, trying to keep her emotions under control. This was not the first time someone doubted her abilities, or judged her by her father. It was the first time it came from a friend though.

"Luce…" Alex can see how hurt Lucy was, "She didn't mean it…"

"Of course she did. Don't think I don't know that's what everyone at the DEO thinks," Lucy let's Alex see her tears. "I'm not one of you, Alex."

"But you are!" Alex wipes the tears from her face, "You are not your father! You've proved yourself over and over. We trust you. We've been implementing your strategies, and have not failed to apprehend a single alien we were after since you took charge."

"But Kara—"

"Kara knows this!" Alex insists, "She has talked to you about this. I don't know what's up with her right now, but you did nothing wrong," Alex takes one more step closer to Lucy, "You are Major Lucy Lane, decorated soldier of the United States Army, and current director of the DEO. You are perfect." She closes the distance between them and kisses her softly, then hugs her. Lucy immediately relaxes in Alex's embrace.

There wasn't anything official between them yet, but they have been growing closer and closer since Alex returned to the DEO. After long days of working, they would end up at Lucy's or Alex's just to finish up paperwork as they ate. They were both workaholics, but soon enough the paperwork was forgotten, and they found themselves talking about each other's lives, about the army, about growing up with a sibling that overshadows everything they did, about literature, and favorite movies.

* * *

Kara lands on Cat's balcony in CatCo. She wasn't paying attention when she was flying and somehow ended up there. _Somehow she always ended up there._ She looks up at the city view from the balcony. It always amazed her how when she was flying, everything seemed so small, but from her position now, everything was big enough to engulf her.

"I should start charging you for using this balcony," Cat's voice startles her. She didn't hear her despite all her super senses.

"I should start charging royalties," Kara half-heartedly replies pointing at the symbol on her chest, which has become one of CatCo's main sources of revenue these days.

"Something tells me money is not what you are after," Cat stands next to Supergirl, to overlook the city. She rests her glass of bourbon on the ledge, "something on your mind?"

These late night conversations had become more frequent since Myriad. Supergirl ends up on her balcony, and they talk in metaphors, sometimes not, sometimes about nothing, sometimes about everything.

"You're here late," comes Kara's reply.

 _So it was a talk about nothing kind of night,_ Cat muses. "We both have jobs to do."

Kara snorts, "Apparently I'm not doing a really good job at mine."

"The alien from this afternoon?" Cat's question turns Kara surprised, allowing Cat to see her injured neck.

"That made the news…" Kara ducks her head at Cat's lingering gaze.

"Anything you do is, you know that..." Cat inches towards the girl, "Are you alright? Maybe you should go home and sleep, _Supergirl._ " Cat longed to call the girl by her name. End the charade. But she knew this wasn't what Kara wanted. So she keeps quiet, just so she can be there for the girl, a comfort for the superhero in nights like this.

"I don't feel very super lately," came Kara's reply.

"Whether you feel it or not, what matters is what the people think. Draw your strength from them."

"I don't think they appreciate—"

"I think the city appreciates you plenty, Supergirl. You saved our world. I don't know how it is on your planet, but that's what putting a statue of a hero in the middle of the city means." Cat answers almost bored, referring to the statue of Supergirl that has been put up after the whole Myriad fiasco.

"Was."

"What?"

"How it _was_ on my planet…" Kara corrects, "We didn't put up statues of people. No one was a hero there," Kara looks at Cat, eyes filled with tears, "No one saved my world."

Kara shoots in the air before Cat can reach out to her, not allowing herself the comfort she knew the other woman would offer. She didn't deserve the comfort tonight.

* * *

Next morning at CatCo, all employees were tuned in to an interview on the TV with Maxwell Lord.

Cat rolls her eyes as she exits her elevator, "Who decided that Max Lord deserved that much screen time at _my_ company?"

Cat enjoys seeing her employees immediately scramble. Her assistant, _Jill was it?_ Ran up to her with a cup of coffee.

"Your coffee Miss Grant," Cat frowned at how unfamiliar that sounded. _Why did she promote Kara again?_

Cat takes a sip, and narrows her eyes at the girl, "This is surprisingly not terrible." That was as good as compliment as the assistant was going to get. Cat notices Kara standing in the back, sipping from her own cup of coffee. _Pumpkin spice latte, no doubt._ The girl makes eye contact briefly then ducks her head with a blush.

 _"Don't get me wrong, I have worked with Supergirl during Myriad. There's no doubt that she saved the day, despite her questionable methods," comes Max's voice from the TV._

"Questionable methods?" Cat asks no one in particular as she stops looking at Kara and enters her office, finally understanding why her employees were watching this. He was making some ridiculous statement about Supergirl. _Again._

 _"But as I said before, this sort of power cannot remain unchecked. If anything, Supergirl has proved to us how much power she has. How much more advanced these aliens are. All of National City was under mind control, and if I hadn't already taken experimental protective measures and didn't fall under the control of Myriad, who knows what would've happened? What Supergirl would've chosen to do? What if unmonitored, she had decided to join the other Kryptonians to rebuild THEIR dead planet on OUR earth?"_

"Oh for goodness sake, the man wanted to nuke the city," Cat turns around to find Kara, but isn't surprised that the girl isn't there anymore. _Maybe she went to give Max Lord a piece of her mind_ , Cat hoped.

* * *

At the DEO, Max's face was plastered across the big screen. Everyone angrily watching the interview. Supergirl was their hero, and they were all in her debt. No matter what.

 _"Whatever government agency Supergirl works with, do we actually believe that she takes orders from them?"_

"Is he seriously going to expose the DEO to the public?" Vasquez asks nervously.

"No," Lucy answers, "he was working with the army during Myriad. The DEO technically is part of the army now." A few agents grunt in anger at the last part.

 _"Listen to this, and tell me that the public can guarantee that Supergirl won't go rogue again. We all do remember that incident, right?"_

"You were the cause of that incident," Alex says angrily. She wished she was right there so she can just punch him in the face.

 _"Supergirl, it's an alien. Wait for…backup before engaging."_

 _"You know I actually don't work for you, right?"_

Everyone gasps in shock at what they're hearing. The recording was ragged, and the Lucy's voice a little distorted, but the agents recognized the conversation that took place over the comms the previous day.

 _"I'm gonna try and lead him out."_

 _"I repeat, Supergirl, standby. We have been tracking him, and we already have a plan of action to—"_

The recording of Lucy's voice is interrupted by a loud blast.

 _Max says, "This blast you hear is when Supergirl destroyed the building she was supposed to protect."_

"How the hell did he get this recording?" Lucy asks angrily, there was a leak in the DEO.

 _"And I'm not the only one who thinks this," Max continues, "I've been in conversation with the army, and they completely support me on this."_

At this statement, a few agents stood up. Alex inches closer to Lucy, getting a bad feeling.

 _"They have witnessed firsthand Supergirl's insubordination. They are closely monitoring the situation—this is how I got this recording."_

Four agents pull out their guns, pointing them at Lucy, who was still completely focused on the interview. Her focus is broken by the sound of a gun next to her being cocked; Alex was aiming her gun out at the agent who was pointing his gun at Lucy. She sees 5 other agents, including Vasquez, also had their guns out, pointed at the agents aiming at Lucy.

 _"I have a duty to the public to expose the truth if it's within my powers to do so. We all need to understand the danger that Supergirl, and whoever supports her pose."_

There's a loud thud as Supergirl lands in the base, with one hand punching the ground with enough power to smash it, sending dust flying in the air around her.


	4. When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang

**Author's notes:** Really sorry for the long delay, I have been traveling, and having visa issues which is might end up with me not being able to do my Master's so I was a little too stressed. This one is short, but I already started on the next one, so hopefully I can get that out soon. As always, thanks for the reviews, they keep me going!

* * *

 _ **Previously:**_

Four agents pull out their guns, pointing them at Lucy, who was still completely focused on the interview. Her focus is broken by the sound of a gun next to her being cocked; Alex was aiming her gun out at the agent who was pointing his gun at Lucy. She sees 5 other agents, including Vasquez, also had their guns out, pointed at the agents aiming at Lucy.

 _"I have a duty to the public to expose the truth if it's within my powers to do so. We all need to understand the danger that Supergirl, and whoever supports her pose."_

There's a loud thud as Supergirl lands in the base, with one hand punching the ground with enough power to smash it, sending dust flying in the air around her.

* * *

"Stand down," Alex barks at Agent Monroe, whose gun was trained on Lucy, her sister's arrival not going unnoticed. Alex just prayed that Kara hadn't reached the same conclusion as the other agents.

"She's the leak!" Agent Monroe, who was one of Hank's most trusted men, replies. Alex holds her gun tighter. She itched to step in front of Lucy, but she knew that any movement can cause someone to fire their weapon.

"She is the director of the DEO. Stand down!" Vasquez says.

Supergirl stalks into the room towards Lucy, her usually calm blue eyes, were charged with energy, a sign of her heat vision activating. The remaining agents pulled out their weapons and fell behind her, happy to follow her lead.

"Agent Danvers," one of them calls, "According to the original chain of command, you are acting director of the DEO. She's military. She's working with them."

"Agent Lang, the current chain of command has not changed. Stand down!"

Lucy felt uneasy from the moment she heard her own voice on the screens; but now, seeing Supergirl's red-almost-white eyes trained on her, Lucy was afraid for the first time in a really long time. _Brave was Lucy's middle name,_ anyone who worked with Lucy in the military would attest. She has been through war, undercover work, working right under her father, investigating the DEO and now leading it, but she hasn't had to face down a friend this way before. _A friend, who was also an alien, who is about to incinerate her._

"Supergirl?" Alex questioned as Supergirl stood in the middle of the room, eyes trained on Lucy. She realized that her gun was useless if Supergirl was the threat to Lucy at this point.

"Ka— Supergirl, I know how it sounds, but it wasn't me," Lucy tries to keep her voice strong, but is unsurprised to hear it waver.

"I know," Kara simply answers.

"Max or the army must have someon—what?" Lucy had continued her defense not registering what Supergirl said.

Kara softly smiled at her, despite the blazing eyes, before looking around the room, making point to maintain eye contact with the agents, whose stances immediately wavered.

 _Power display_ , Alex caught on to her sister's tactic with a hint of pride. With this mess being about the current leader of the DEO, Supergirl needed to take charge to deescalate the situation, without anyone getting hurt. Drawn gun were useless with an alien, who is bulletproof and can shoot lasers out of her eyes, in the room, and she needed to remind the agents of that.

"Okay, let's just.. calm down," Kara's eyes slowly waver to their normal color. She kept a calm front, but she hadn't meant to do that, and when she tried to activate her heat vision again it didn't work.

"Supergirl, what do you wanna do with Major Lane?" Agent Monroe asked pointing at Lucy with his gun, causing the woman to flinch.

" _Director_ Lane says she didn't do it, and I believe her," Kara answers, trying to give Lucy back some of her credibility, "I know it's been confusing the last few months, heck since I became a 'superhero' and joined the DEO."

"Supergirl, you saved all of us, the whole world," an agent interrupts, and hums of agreement come from a lot of the agents.

"I know, but I didn't do it alone. We did it together. You guys made me the superhero that I am. But that doesn't mean it's been easy. With the increased alien and kryptonian attacks, with the red kryptonite, with Hank being a martian, with the army locking up the man you have grown to trust as your leader, taking over the DEO, with mind control and myriad, and…"

"Supergirl," Alex interrupts knowing her sister's tendency to ramble.

"Right. Right, the point is. I know it's been difficult, and you don't know where your loyalties lie. But we have gone through all of this together, and we can do it again. We can't let this tear us apart."

Some of the agents started lowering their guns as they listened to Supergirl.

"Look at where we got our information. This is exactly what Max wants. To divide the DEO. Look at us now. I trust Lucy, and she has been an amazing leader since she took charge. Even though she is the army liaison, she has made sure the army did not intervene with our work, right?" Kara gestures around and is glad to see nods of agreement around the room. "So we do this the right way, we regroup, we investigate, we come up with a plan, and I really hope it's something that has at least 1 percent of me flinging Max Lord into outer space."

The agents laugh and most holster their weapons, reducing the tension in the room. Supergirl turns to Monroe, who is one of the last people still holding up their guns. "Yeah, Dan?" She holds out her hand to him, "We do this together?"

Agent Monroe nods, holsters his gun, and shakes Supergirl's hand. Alex holsters her gun as well, sighing in relief at her sister's ability to inspire.

Lucy takes a deep breath and takes a step forward, drawing strength from Kara's speech, "Okay, let's—"

Kara is smiling at Lucy when she hears the familiar friction of metal against metal, and she zips in front of Lucy, just in time to block 2 bullets from hitting her. She hears another shot but is too late to move in front of the agent who fired at Lucy, and so he gets hit in the shoulder. Three agents instantly apprehend him.

Alex marches towards him, "Who are you? I don't know you," the agent just smirks at her, not even bothering to struggle as he is restrained, "Get him out of here!"

"Are you alright?" Kara asks Lucy, who nods shocked.

"That's Blake Cruz. Army transfer…"

"Well that saves us the investigation," Vasquez replies.

"Gather everything you have on him, and find out who transferred him here," Alex says, and looks at Lucy pointedly.

Lucy takes another deep breath, holding on to Kara's arm this time, "Let's get back to work everyone." She then turns to the agent who shot Blake, a red haired agent that she vaguely recognized. "Thank you, agent…?"

"Cooper ma'am. Susan Cooper," the agent straightens herself.

"You're new here, right?" Alex asks contemplatively.

"Yes, I transferred here while you were… away," agent Cooper replies nervously.

"Good job today, looking forward to working with you," Alex shakes the woman's hand in gratitude.

"Just doing my job. Ma'am," she salutes Lucy.

* * *

"What the hell was that?" Alex asks as they enter Lucy's office with Kara. With the adrenaline wearing off, nerves were getting the better of her. The woman she cared about got shot at.

"I don't know," Lucy mumbles, her heart still thumping fast, "But Supergirl saved the day as always. Thank you, Kara. For saving my life. Again."

Kara who didn't look like she was paying attention looked up at the mention of her name. She was thankful that her superspeed worked and she managed to save Lucy, but she recognized that she was too slow after that, and an agent got hurt. _Even though he deserved it for trying to kill Lucy._ "Anytime," she answered, "well not anytime, I don't want you to get shot at again. And I can't get there in time if you are in a whole other place, and hmm I don't know about it. Maybe just not get shot? Or wear a bullet proof vest? Or…"

Alex laughs at her sister, who was definitely all Kara right now, and not the confident Supergirl who managed to defuse a potentially lethal situation. Lucy joins the laughing and hugs Kara, relishing in the comfort the powerful, yet mumbling, superhero provides. Lucy steps back instantly, looking at her hands, which were covered in blood.

"Kara…"


	5. Overload

**Author's notes:** Really sorry about the delay, legit started working on it as soon as I posted last chapter, but got stuck along the way. Thanks to all who are continuing to read this, and are patient with my procrastination pretty much. All mistakes are mine, I tried, but English grammar always confuses me when I'm writing.

 **Trigger warning:** descriptions of a panic attack.

* * *

 ** _Previously:_**

 _Alex laughs at her sister, who was definitely all Kara right now, and not the confident Supergirl who managed to defuse a potentially lethal situation. Lucy joins the laughing and hugs Kara, relishing in the comfort the powerful, yet mumbling, superhero provides. Lucy steps back instantly, looking at her hands, which were covered in blood._

 _"Kara…"_

* * *

"The bullets scraped you?" Alex questions incredulously as she pushes away Supergirl's cape to examine her back. The suit was bullet proof, so there weren't any tears, but her sister was definitely bleeding.

Kara finally feels the pain in her back, as if spurred on by the sight of her own blood, "I just… I think I blew out my powers," Kara says.

"What?"

"I didn't… I felt it when I was trying to use my heat vision, and it just stopped…" Kara admits, although she was confused at how her powers seemed to be working and not working at the same time.

She knew she should tell Alex, give her all the details, and she would figure it out, but a part of her held her back. She can handle herself, it was nothing a little sun wouldn't heal; there was no need to worry her sister. If she did, Alex will be all over it trying to figure it out, when Kara was really trying to get Alex to live her own life, do things that her being Supergirl stopped her from doing, just like she made her promise during Myriad. So far, her actions have just put a barrier between her and her sister instead of the intended outcome.

"You should've said something!"

"I didn't know…"

"Kara, you put all of us at risk, all these people were depending on you to save the day if something went wrong—"

"And I did—"

"Lucy could have been shot—"

Lucy, whose eyes widened at the mention of her name, tried to defuse the argument, "But I didn't, Sup—"

Kara interrupts, running a hand through her hair in frustration "But she didn't—"

"We let our guard down. I let my guard down, and Lucy got shot at. Because I thought you got it—" Alex's worry for her sister and Lucy had driven her to the only emotion that she can express: anger. She just didn't get why Kara was acting the way she is, defensive, defiant, hiding things from her.

Kara takes a deep breath, trying to keep her feelings under control, "I did have—"

"And now you got yourself hurt again—"

"ALEX," Kara interrupts her sister's reprimands as she steps away and turns around to face her, "will you get off my back just for one second?" The pain from her back, coupled with her sister's yelling was getting the better of her.

Alex fell silent in shock at the sudden outburst, then frowned when noticing her sister's ragged breathing, and beads of sweat stippling her forehead. "Kara?"

Kara was looking at down at her hands, which were shaking. Alex's voice was drowned out by her own heartbeat racing loudly in her ears. She wasn't sure what was going on, but the need to get out of there, _the room, the DEO,_ was increasing by the second. "I—I have to go."

"Kara?" Alex tried to approach her sister, questioning her sister's odd behavior, but Kara stepped back.

"Al-ex," Kara almost sobbed, needing her sister's help, but at the same time needing to get away from her, "I c-can't. I have to... I have to go." Kara was gone, before Alex could reach her.

"Damn it!" Alex ran her hand through her hair. She turns towards Lucy with panic in her eyes, "I have to find her, something is wrong!"

"We will," Lucy caught Alex before she can race out. She was worried about Kara, but knew that Alex wouldn't be the right person to help right now, considering how much Kara seemed affected during the argument. She bit her lips, trying to find a way to tell Alex what she wants to say without stepping over the line, "I just… I just think she needs some space."

"Lucy, you don't understand," Alex replied distracted as she pulled out her phone, "That's my sister, she's hurt, and she doesn't have her powers—"

"She just used her super speed to get out of here," Lucy replies confused, "I don't get it. The bullets bounced off her..."

This caused Alex to pause. _She had a point_. "Maybe an adrenaline kick from seeing you get shot at?" Alex answers weakly, already knowing the flaw in her reasoning.

"She couldn't have gotten in front of me that fast unless she had heard the gun before it was fired."

"So her powers are not blown."

"But something is definitely wrong with them."

Alex stares at the blood covering Lucy's hand, immediately getting an idea.

* * *

Kara had flown out of the DEO as fast as she could, breaking the sound barrier after a few seconds; which in hindsight was not the best idea because her powers were already acting up. She falls to her knees in sand, struggling to catch her breath. She hears the soft sound of crashing waves, but that quickly changes as each wave sounds like a crashing building to her. She tries to look up, but is unable to concentrate on anything as her x-ray vision activated and deactivated, leaving her nauseous and disoriented. She was completely overwhelmed, and did not understand why it was happening.

Kara pulls her head down closer to the sand, using her hands to cover her ears, and firmly closed her eyes in an attempt to stop the nausea. She faintly hears her name being called, but can't concentrate long enough to find the source.

"Kara." the voice was closer now but when she tried to open her eyes, her senses were assaulted again, and she was seeing a skeleton kneeling next to her; she immediately closed her eyes again. "Kara, calm down, you're going to be okay."

Cat Grant was very familiar with panic attacks from her own son often having them. But having that background knowledge didn't seem very helpful when the superhero quiet literally fell from the sky, a few feet away from her. She was sitting outside at her beach house, having taken the rest of the Friday to work from home as Carter was being let out of school early. She watched as Supergirl _, no, Kara_ , start to sob, not knowing how to calm her down. Kara was insisting on keeping her eyes closed, and covering her ears, so she wasn't able to reach to her as she normally would have to her son. Cat wasn't very familiar with the exact details of Supergirl's powers, but imagined it had something to do with the girl's behavior.

Cat just knows she has to calm the girl down before she starts to hyperventilate. She starts to rub circles on the hero's back, but her eyes widen as she looks at her hand, only to find it covered in blood. Keeping her own panic at bay, she pulls away the girl's cape to find the source of blood. A blood stain had formed on her back. So now she had two things to address, the panic attack and the wound. She wondered about what happened to the girl, how Supergirl can even get hurt, but she remembered being briefly introduced to Kryptonite during the Myriad fiasco. She needed to call Kara's sister, that agent who was wearing the Kryptonite infused-suit, but for one very rare moment, Cat did not have her phone on her. She had stepped out to finish her cup of coffee and get some sun, and decided to leave the phone behind to force herself to take an actual break. Now she was regretting that decision, and knew she couldn't leave the girl to go grab her phone. _Kara needed her._

Cat settles herself in front of Kara instead, and brings her hands to Kara's face. "Kara, look at me," she says as she brings her face closer to the girl's. The touch seemed to zap Kara's focus, her body leaning towards the familiar touch, but she still wouldn't open her eyes. Cat slowly puts her hands on Kara's own to try to pull them away.

"No please don't," Kara sobs.

Cat doesn't budge, "focus on my voice, Kara. You're going to be alright, I'm right here."

It was the smell that got to Kara first. A distinct smell breaking through the confusing haze of ocean, smoke, food, and even blood. It smelled like _home_ , although the word didn't mean very much to her, but like she was _safe_. This gave her a momentum to calm down just enough to hear a familiar voice filtering through all the loudness. After a few seconds she realizes who exactly it was. _Cat._ Her eyes fly open in shock, which sends another wave of nausea.

Cat cringes at the terrified look on her previous assistant's face, but suddenly she feels Kara's steel arm wrap backwards around her waist, pulling her behind Kara just as lasers shoot out of the girl's eyes marking 2 distinct tracks across the sand till they reach the water. Cat's heartbeat quickens at the display of power, but soon enough the lasers fizzle out, and Kara would have collapsed right into what Cat can describe as molten sand, if it weren't for Cat's arms pulling her back.

Kara felt the last of her super powers drain, and is actually relieved as her senses returned to normal human levels.

"It's just me. You're okay, Kara. You're safe."

Cat turns Kara towards her gently, takes Kara's trembling hand and placed it on her chest, "Follow my breathing." Cat takes in deep breaths in, and exhales them slowly, urging the girl to do the same. After a few seconds, Cat is pleased to see Kara take a shaky breath in. "Good, Kara, that's really good."

They stay like this for a few minutes, Cat reassuring Kara as she gets her breathing under control. The hero's tears were flowing silently down her face, but she seemed to be more in control now, despite the shakiness.

"Let's get you inside," Cat says softly, "We need to call your sister." Seeing Kara's eyes widen in panic again, and not wanting to aggravate the girl in her current state, Cat backtracks, "or not…"

Kara nods lightly in appreciation, not having the energy to talk.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_ Let me know if you have any ideas of what you would like to see in the next chapters!


	6. Bless Those Tired Eyes

At the DEO, Alex was standing next to Vasquez, who was behind her computer trying to locate Supergirl. The results of the tests she ran on Kara's blood were shocking. The amount of Kryptonite in her blood was so much more than she has ever seen before, and she didn't know why.

"Alex," Lucy calls out, "You are lead on this Op, suit up."

"Lucy, I can't." Alex dismisses.

"Agent Danvers," Lucy commands, catching Alex's attention who stalks up to her.

"Director Lane," Alex spits, "We need to find and secure Supergirl."

"No, we need to neutralize this alien threat before anyone gets hurt. Since Supergirl is currently not available, we need all hands on deck."

"Lucy…" Alex pleads, pulling Lucy out into a hallway. "I have to find Kara. This much kryptonite… She could be seriously hurt."

"I get it, Alex. I really do. I'm worried about her too. But things are fragile right now, and these agents trust you. I need you lead on the ground, especially with Supergirl not assisting with this one."

"But—"

"Susan will track her down, and we can go to her as soon as the alien is secure. We have a job to do Alex, and I need to make sure that our agents are safe on the ground."

The worry building up inside her was winding her up. She knew something was very wrong, but she also knew Alex was right. She owed it to these agents to lead them, especially after today's events. Alex resigns to Lucy's argument, and nods hesitantly. Lucy looks around making sure no one is there, and kisses her. "We are not gonna let anything happen to her."

* * *

Kara wakes up in an unfamiliar room, lying down on her stomach. She groans as she sits up; her whole body was sore, but most prominently, there was a throbbing pain in her back. She takes a few breaths, as she takes in the room she's in and finds that she is wearing sweatpants that were too short for her, and a plain white shirt.

" _Cat_ ," Kara remembers, and stands up on shaky legs. She must be at Cat's beach house she concluded.

She slowly shuffles outside the room, and walks towards where she can hear some sounds. Being without her powers had her on edge, she wasn't used to not knowing what she is walking into. She sighs in relief when she sees it is just Cat and Carter sitting around the kitchen counter.

"Hi Kara," Carter greets excitedly, "Mom said you weren't feeling well, so you are staying with us! How are you feeling now? Do you want some pizza? We rarely order pizza but mom said the carnivore from Big Pie in the Sky is your favorite, so we—"

"Carter, darling, let Kara breathe," Cat interrupts. As happy as she was to see Carter interacting openly with someone other than herself, she did not want to overwhelm the girl. _Or let Kara know that she knows what exactly her favorite food is._

Kara smiles at the boy's antics, and the surprising fact that Cat knows her pizza order, "She is right, Carter. This is absolutely the best pizza in the universe." Kara sits down at one of the stools. If Cat noticed her wince in pain, she didn't say anything. Kara is amused that the pizza had been moved out of its box and onto a serving plate, and was eating a salad instead; _leave it to Cat to make ordering in pizza classy._

"You can't possibly know that it's best in the universe," Carter replies with a slight frown.

"Trust me, it is!" Kara answers as she takes a bite gingerly; she was not only not hungry, but the smell of the pizza made her nauseous.

Cat frowns when she notices that Kara had put her slice back down and was chewing rather slowly. "I can get you something else if you want…"

"No, no, this is great. I'm just not that hungry," Kara admits, touched by Cat's thoughtfulness.

"It's okay, Kara. You can eat it later," Carter reassures her as he finishes one slice with one hand, and uses the other to grab another.

"Carter, please don't eat like you've never seen food before," Cat chides as she takes another bite of her salad.

Carter blushes, and slows down, "We never eat pizza."

Kara laughs, and they continue to eat in a comfortable silence. Kara was still confused at what exactly happened, and why she was at Cat's beach house in the first place. _MISS GRANT, s_ he reminds herself. She regards the woman, who is more casually dressed than she has seen her, in a pair of dark blue jeans and sleeveless black button-up shirt.

When Carter finished eating, he observes Kara curiously. Cat looks to see what has caught his attention, and immediately understands. Kara's hair was down, the curtains of blonde hair shielding her face slightly, and when she pushes her hair behind her ear, it accents her sky blue eyes that for once weren't hidden behind her thickly rimmed glasses. The girl was simply beautiful, despite the weariness marring her features. And while those features are what Carter was observing, it wasn't for the same reason as Cat, she knew.

"Carter, you should wash up and get started on your homework," Cat distracts the boy, hoping he hasn't already made the connection between Kara and Supergirl. He was Supergirl's #1 fan after all, and Kara did not have any disguise right now.

Carter was about to protest, wanting to spend more time with Kara, but nods understanding that Kara needs to rest, and talk to his mom. "Can we play a game later, Kara? I've got the new Star Wars Risk. If you're feeling well…"

After getting Cat's silent permission, Kara assures, as they clear the plates, that they can play but only after he is done will his homework. Kara was about to start washing the dishes when Cat gently grabs her wrist.

"Leave it, I have someone come in to clean in the morning." Cat realizes what she has done, and lets go of Kara's wrist then walks to the living room, an unmistakable instruction for Kara to follow.

Kara is surprised at how cozy the place was, with 2 big leather couches, one of those soft fuzzy rugs, and a fire place. The walls were completely made of glass, giving what Kara would assume a fantastic view during the day time. Cat pushes a button that closes the curtains, an action that Kara is grateful for as she relaxes, not having to worry about not being able to see what's outside. But that still doesn't protect her from the conversation she has to have now.

"How are you feeling?" Cat asks, shocking Kara who was expecting to be reprimanded about her secret.

"I'm… Miss Grant, I'm sorry I didn't tell you who I really was. I just c—"

"Cat," Cat interrupts, "I think we're past formalities at this point."

Kara's breath hitched at the permission, "Okay, _Cat,_ I'm sorry for lying about who I really was."

"I get it. You couldn't trust me, I didn't give you much reason to, and I am the Queen of all Media after all," Cat says dismissively, trying to hide that she was hurt.

"Miss G—Cat, that's not it! I do trust you." At that, Cat looks up with confusion. "Why else would I have continued coming to you as Supergirl? Especially these last couple of months…"

"What was it then?"

"You were going to fire me! You wanted me to be Supergirl full time."

"Kara—"

"You don't understand how much this job means to me, it keeps me grounded. Working with you allows me to be the best I could be as Supergirl. Sure, I could've been Supergirl full time for a few weeks, months even, but I would've lost my purpose pretty quickly. No one can handle that, not even Superman. I needed you—my job to keep me human…"

Cat looks at the girl with in new light, "It was unfair of me to put that kind of pressure on you," Cat rolls her eyes at the shock on the younger woman's face, "I'm not above apologizes, Kara, you should know that by now. So I am sorry, for trying to fire you, but your little stunt was useless."

Understanding dawns on Kara, "You knew…How?"

"I am a reporter Kara, and the same reasons that led me to finding out the first time around didn't change. Your little doppelgänger trick was impressive, but nothing more than just a party trick. And really _Kiera,_ getting all brazen at the same time that Supergirl went 'crazy'.

"And if all that wasn't enough, I met your mother, Dr. Danvers and Agent _Scully_ who happens to be Kara Danvers' sister, Alex Danvers…. I really don't know how you expected me not to know. I've seen you every day for 2 years, and you thought I wouldn't suspect it the moment I met Supergirl?"

"You didn't say anything…" Kara was only slightly shocked. Cat was one of the smartest people she knew, Kara should've known that the Clark Kent ruse wouldn't trick Cat Grant.

"I wanted you to trust me, but I did it all wrong and pushed you away. You weren't ready for me to know."

Kara sits down as she ponders on Cat's words, but winces in pain, and Cat is immediately by her side.

"Let me check that," Cat doesn't wait for permission, and lifts Kara's shirt to check her back. She peels the bandage that she had put earlier, causing Kara to gasp, and inspects the wound. It wasn't bleeding anymore, but there was still a cut, and the entire area was very badly bruised, probably from the impact of whatever it was.

"I heal quickly," Kara answers, mistaking Cat's silent for shock at finding no injury. Kara can feel her heart beats faster as Cat continues to touch her back gently.

"So I thought," Cat covers the wound again, and lowers her shirt. "But you are still hurt. I don't think it needs stiches, but if it bleeds again, we should take you to a doctor."

"Doctors can't help me, Miss—Cat, I'm not exactly human."

"Well for now it seems you are. How did that come to happen?"

Kara tenses up at the question, not knowing how to answer. "Bullets scraped me…"

"But you're bullet proof… Was it Kryptonite?"

Kara frowns, "No—Wait, how do you know about Kryptonite?"

"Maxwell Lord explained when you were fighting agent Scully."

"Of course he did," Kara mutters, angry at the mention of Max. Cat files away the obvious dislike for Max for a later time.

"Then?" Cat asks, then remembers, "Is this similar to the day of the earthquake?"

"I think so?" Kara answers hesitantly.

Cat frowns, "Are you asking or telling me?"

"I don't know," Kara rests her elbows on her knees and buries her face in her hands. "I don't know what is happening with my powers… with me."

"And you panicked." Cat states.

Kara looks up at that, "Cat, I'm so sorry. I don't even know how I got here. I must have just tried to find somewhere I would feel safe. I'm so—"

"You apologize too much," Cat dismisses, "and you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. I'm just glad you ended up here." At Kara's look of curiosity, she backtracks, "you know, as opposed to crashing in the middle of the city, and scaring people. It's for the people's sake."

"Right," Kara deflates, "for the people."

"Yes," Cat adds lamely, then reprimands herself. Kara was vulnerable, and Cat needed not to scare her away by putting up her defenses. "And for yours… I'm glad you came to me. That you felt you would be safe here."

Kara blushes, and lifts her hand to push back her glasses, but discovers they're not there. Her eyes widen.

"We do need to do something about that before Carter connects the dots," Cat says.

Kara nods, but the movement sends a wave of nausea, and she shuts her eyes waiting for it to pass.

"Are you alright?" Cat asks as she pushes Kara's hair back to see her face. Kara leans into her hand, and Cat slowly caresses Kara's cheek with her thumb. Neither pull away.

"I… I'm not feeling that great," Kara admits.

"Can we call your sister now?" Cat asks, concerned. She might be able to calm Kara down, even dress a wound, but she didn't know how to help _an alien_.

"No, I don't want to worry her. I just need a good night's sleep and the sun in the morning will take care of the rest."

"The sun? Is that where you get your powers?" Cat's journalistic instincts peaked. Kara just nods. "She is probably already worried," Cat adds, pulling Kara's phone from her pocket—where she kept it after retrieving it from the hero's suit earlier—and handing it to her. "She called quite a few times." Kara frowns as she sees the 15 missed calls from Alex. "From what you've told me, she really cares about you."

Kara quickly types a message to Alex assuring her that she is fine. Kara sighs, "She does. More than anything. Which means her life revolved around taking care of me… keeping me safe… ever since she was a kid. I don't want that for her anymore. She was supposed to finally live her life. Then she brought me back… I had said my goodbyes. Made my peace. Fulfilled my purpose by saving the people of this planet."

Silent tears were falling down Kara's face and Cat felt her stomach knot at the words.

Kara continues, "And now… I don't know what I'm doing here anymore. But I'm not getting in her way again. Maybe whatever is happening with my powers is for the best. I've outlived my purpose, and the universe knows this. I've brought nothing but destruction to National City since I started being Supergirl, and maybe it's time I hang up the cape. Let the DEO… the army… hell even Max Lord, do their jobs. The world doesn't need Supergirl."

Cat had done her best to stay quiet, to let Kara reveal what has been going on in her head, but she couldn't anymore. Not when there was this panic building up inside of her with Kara's each word.

"You think you're the first person to get a quarter-life crisis? Every millennial is worried about not reaching their true potential, and not living up to their parents expectations. Of course in your case, you get to deal with that ten folds, both as Kara Danvers and as Supergirl. Your parents may have thrown the weight of a dying world on the shoulders of a twelve year old, but that doesn't make it right. I know you love them Kara, but you don't owe the world a damn thing."

Seeing Kara's conflicted look at the mention of her parents, Cat continues, "You _chose_ to be Supergirl. You _chose_ to help people, and not stand by idly watching anymore. You can stop if you want, you already have a statue up in the middle of the city proving your worth. If all you were waiting for was one big event to save the earth, and live off the glory after that, you've done that.

"But the Supergirl I know helps because she loves this city, the people in it, every crying child and obnoxious millennial. Supergirl pulled out people from under mind control just by talking to them, by spreading hope, by showing the people how much she cared about them. The carrying of a space prison into outer space, that was just for _show_.

"You have the power to wipe out this city on a whim, we have all seen it." Kara cringes at the mention of the red kryptonite incident, so Cat quickly continues, "But you don't. Instead, you chose to protect it. True power is choosing to save those who don't deserve it. Choosing to be kind to those who have hurt you. Choosing to live when you have so many reasons to give up. That's what true power is, Kara. Whether you have superpowers or not… You are so much more than just Supergirl..."

Kara fell into Cat's arms crying, and Cat held the girl closer, scared of losing Supergirl… _no, afraid of losing Kara._ In that moment, Cat realized she doesn't care if Kara was a superhero. She just needed the girl in her life. She only stopped herself before she can tell the girl that. _Tell her that she needs her sunny disposition in her life, needs her compassion and capacity to love everyone, needs her quirky fiddling of her eyeglasses, and her hidden talents of making everything right._ She stopped herself before she tells her _she loves her_ , because she hadn't even realized it till this moment, when the hero had torn herself down with self-doubt and idiotic ideations of the world not needing her.

 _I love her_. Cat repeated the foreign thought in her mind, and it was as if everything fell in its place.

* * *

Max walks into General Lane's office hesitantly. "General Lane, I don't know what happened at the DEO, but I can assure you, none of the plans included your daughter getting hurt. I—"

"I know." General Lane states, not looking up from the papers he was signing.

"Sir?"

"You threw my daughter under the bus with your careless words. Cruz had to act. Supergirl still had her powers, he knew she would save Lucy. He had to take the fall for the leak."

Max swallows, impressed by General Lane's dedication to the cause. "I thought you were trying to get Lucy out."

"We still need Lucy in her position at the DEO, till the next phase," General Lane replies, "Which begs the question. Supergirl's powers were supposed to have been taken care of."

"We don't know much about the kryptonian physiology. This phase is experimental in that aspect. But we've already seen remarkable results. I don't think her powers will be a problem for much longer."

"Excellent," General Lane hands Max a file. "I believe this list will have the names of those who fill the criteria for the next phase."

Max smiles as he reads the names off the list titled: **X**.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_ _I struggled a bit with this chapter, and Cat's 'pep' talk was a bit too lengthy for my liking but I didn't know how to shorten it any more than this. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing!_


	7. Elysium

**_A/N:_** ** _It took very long for me to update this time. Life really really got in the way. And I struggled quiet a bit with this chapter. So thank you to all of you who are still reading and commenting!_**

 ** _Track inspiration: Gravity - Steven Price_**

* * *

 _Kara opened her eyes with a soft smile, letting the red hue of the sun wash over her. She felt the light take away all her aches. The feeling of being at peace filled her up so much that she couldn't help the laugh that escapes her._ _ **Rao**_ _, she thought. It has been such a long time since she felt her God's presence, and the serenity that came with just looking at the red sun._

 _"Kara," she heard a voice call her, and couldn't help laughing again as she rushed towards the source. She had to shield her eyes to make out the figures approaching her, but she already knew who they were._

 _"Mother," Kara held Alura in a tight hug, before pulling away and hugging Zor-El, "Father!"_

 _"Kara, my daughter, my greatest pride," Zor-El hugged her tightly, his kryptonese falling on her ears like a song she hasn't heard in a while, but never really forgotten._

 _"I didn't think I would ever really see you again." Kara couldn't help the happy tears running down her face._

 _"It pains me to have you join us so soon, but do not fear now, my daughter. We will never leave you again."_

 _"And earth?" Kara asked as an afterthought._

 _The answer came from another familiar voice that would've made Kara even happier if it were possible, "You have saved earth and its people, Little One." The sight of Astra healed any pain in her heart that she has been carrying around since her death. "I'm only sorry that I was blinded by my fear and had let things get this far, and you've had to die to undo my mistakes."_

 _Kara watched in amazement as Alura hugged her sister, pushing the white strand of hair away from her face. "It's alright, Aunt Astra. You only did what you thought was best, and in the end you helped save my life and tried to warn me. I only wish you were given a chance—"_

 _Astra moved forward and hugged Kara, cutting her off. "I'm so proud of you, Little One."_

 _"We have come to accompany you on your journey, to join us in Rao's light." Alura motioned to the red sun, the sight of which makes Kara's heart soar._

 _"The journey from Earth is long, but it was your prayers that kept me at peace and guided me home." Astra said with a warm smile._

 _"You have exceeded all our expectations, Kara, and fulfilled your mission by saving earth. We know it was hard getting trapped in the phantom zone, and we longed to do anything to rescue you, but we could only keep watch and pray that Rao will spare you," Zor-El said._

 _"And we've watched you grow into this beautiful woman, who carried our house name with pride and honor. Seeing you become this beacon of hope for the humans was our greatest pride. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten, my daughter," Alura added._

 _"Alex…" Kara looked back wistfully, watching the earth become further and further away._

 _Astra placed her hand on Kara's shoulder, "You have saved her, Kara. She loves you, she understands the choice you had to make."_

 _"Are you ready to go home, Kara?" Zor-El asked, extending his arm out for Kara to take._

 _Kara nodded, her heart slightly aching for the people she will not see again, but not regretting her choice. She sent a silent prayer for Rao to watch over her sister, friends, and surprisingly Miss Grant. Her last thought of earth was of beautiful blonde curls, emerald green eyes, and a confident smile._

 _Kara turned her back on earth, facing Rao's red light again, and letting the peace wash over her as she reached out to take her father's hand. I'm going home._

 _Before she can grasp Zor-El's hand, she felt as though she was being pulled back in the direction of earth. As if its gravity was so strong as to keep its hold on her even after her death. She was being separated from her family, and she cried out for her father, who in a show of strength manages to grasp her hand tightly._

 _"Father, what's happening?"_

 _"You're being pulled back to earth!" Astra explained as she grabbed her niece's hand too._

 _Kara struggled against the pull, if she didn't join her family in Rao's light, she will be spending an eternity in darkness._

 _"Kara, hold on!" Her father tried to pull her towards him, but the pull on her wouldn't relent._

 _"I can't," Kara cried as her hand started slipping, "Mom…"_

 _"KARAAAAAAAAA," her mother's scream echoes over and over again as she was plunged backwards, away from Rao's light and into the darkness._

.

Kara woke up with a pained gasp in the dark room, feeling hands holding her down, preventing her from escaping. "No, please no," she cried, and felt the hands on her pull away. After a few seconds, lights flooded the room, but Kara didn't shield her eyes from the harsh lights, instead she looked around frantically for her parents, and her aunt. Familiar concerned green eyes found hers, and that halted her movements. _Cat_.

"It's okay, it's okay. It was just a dream," Cat's words that were meant to console Kara had the opposite effect as Kara started sobbing. _It wasn't just a dream._ Kara looks at Cat pleadingly, as if willing her to understand what happened.

Cat watched helplessly as the girl broke apart in front of her, Kara's arms wrapped around her middle as if trying to keep herself together. Cat did the only thing that makes sense to her and pulled Kara towards her, hugging her tightly, lending her own strength. She was mindful of Kara's back as she held her closer.

"It's okay, darling," the term of endearment came so easily that Cat didn't realize it, but she was glad Kara didn't seem to notice it. "You're okay."

Kara shook her head, "She pulled me… from the light… they were there…"

"Who was there?" Cat tried to understand what Kara was saying to help her calm down.

"My parents… Aunt Astra… I was with them… in the light. I couldn't hold on."

Cat swallowed when she realizes Kara is talking about her Kryptonian family. There was no way she could comprehend the grief that Kara carried around. She lost her entire world, and now she got plagued by nightmares. _It wasn't fair._

"What light?"

"Rao's light… It was so beautiful. It was everything I ever missed. I can't explain it. I think the closest thing is heaven," Kara described wistfully, "I've never felt so at peace…"

"Kara—"

"I've spent 24 years in the darkness… And just a few minutes in Rao's light erased it all. But then I was pulled into the darkness again," Kara wept, "I hear my mom screaming my name every night."

Cat held the girl tighter, just the thought of how close Kara came to death made her heart ache, but the pain she was in now was different. Kara has been in heaven and was pulled out. How can anything make her feel better? Cat has never felt so helpless before.

Kara's skin was clammy, her shirt soaked through with sweat, and Cat wasn't sure if it was just a result of her nightmare, or something else. A quick check with her hand to Kara's forehead made her gasp though.

"Kara, you're burning up!" Cat pushed Kara's hair, which was sticking to her face, away. Kara's tears have dried up, but her eyes were glazed over. "Kara," Cat ran her thumb across Kara's cheek. The lack of response from the girl sent Cat into action. "Come with me."

Cat helped Kara up, and once she was sure the girl was steady on her feet, she slowly dragged her outside the room. After a few seconds, Cat decided to take Kara to the bathroom in her own bedroom to avoid running into Carter should he wake up. She led her into the bathroom, Kara not looking up once to survey her surroundings.

"I need to change your bandages to waterproof ones first," Cat explained as she sat Kara down, and gathered the necessary supplies. "Turn around, darling," Cat urged softly. It took a few seconds till it appeared that Kara registered what Cat said. Kara faced the other way, and Cat helped her take her shirt off. Cat frowned as she saw the wounds on Kara's back looking worse than before, with red streaks extending from the cut. She used a warm water soaked washcloth to clean the wound, eliciting a few whimpers of pain from Kara.

"I'm almost done, just have to clean this properly, it seems it's getting infected for some reason."

Cat discarded the washcloth in the trash, and covered the wound with the waterproof bandages that she had sent for in the evening after Kara collapsed on the beach.

"We need to get you in the shower," Cat explained as she turned on the cold water in the shower stall. Cat suddenly realized that she didn't think this plan through as it registered that Kara was now standing with her back to her, half naked in her bathroom. "The cold water will help," she continued, "I'm gonna go… hmmm grab you some towels. Will you be okay?"

Kara nodded slightly, and moved into the stall, letting the glass door close gently behind her. Cat shook her head at the situation she was in, and went to grab some clothes and towels.

* * *

After a few minutes Cat came back into the bathroom.

"All good?" Cat asked. When she received no response, she knocked at the stall. "Kara?"

Concerned, Cat grabbed the big towel, and slightly opened the glass door, "Kara? Are you oka—y?"

The sight of Kara huddled in the corner, quietly crying made Cat's heart ache. She quickly shut the water, and dropped next to Kara, not caring that her robe and silk pajama pants got wet. She averted her eyes as she wrapped the trembling girl in the towel.

"Hey, hey," Cat pushed the wet hair out of Kara's face, glad that at least Kara's fever has gone down a bit. "What's wrong?"

"I'm so tired, Cat," Kara croaked.

"I know, darling, I know," Cat comforted, "Let's get you out of here and into something warm?"

Cat helped her up, and wrapped the towel around her fully. Realizing Kara was too out of it to do anything, Cat sat her and helped her get dressed. She couldn't help the heat the rose up her neck at the position she was in right now, kneeling in front of Kara, helping her put on the sweats she grabbed. She quickly chided herself to focus on the task at hand. _Now was not the time to think about all the ways she could make the girl feel good from this position, under a different set of circumstances._ She cleared her dry throat as she stood and helped Kara with her shirt, and seeing as Kara was shivering, Cat grabbed one of her old college sweatshirts and got her to wear that, then grabbed a smaller towel to dry the girl's hair.

"Kara?" The lack of response was starting to worry Cat, and she wondered if she should have called Kara's sister earlier in the evening, or even now. _If only Kara didn't insist she didn't._ "Let's get you to bed."

Cat had to support most of Kara's weight, and from her experience earlier, it was not an easy feat considering Cat's size and her conviction that Kara actually eats bricks. _Superpowers are literally a heavy load_ , she mused. So Cat decided that the best option is for Kara to sleep in her room, considering they were already there. She helped Kara into the bed, and tucked her well under the covers.

"I'll just be outside… If you need anything. I'll leave the night lights on," Cat added the last part concluding from before that being in the darkness was a problem for Kara. Something she definitely did not know, and being Cat Grant, she would have made fun of had she not known Kara's legit reasons.

Cat felt a tug at her wrist when she turned to leave. She looked from the hand wrapped weakly around her wrist to Kara's face.

"Stay," Kara said softly, and Cat didn't know what face showed because Kara added, "Please."

Now on the list of bad ideas Cat Grant had, this had to be the top, but there was no way she could deny Kara, not when she was in pain and looked at her with pleading, weary blue eyes that were a bit more gray now in this light and circumstances. _Not that she could deny Kara anything in general, but best not let the girl know that._ So Cat nodded as she took Kara's hand and squeezed it in assurance.

Cat quickly changed her pants that got wet from the shower, and shed her robe. She slid half her body under the covers, her back resting on the backboard. Unexpectedly Kara curled up to her side, and Cat tried not to gasp at the electricity that shot up her body at the action. She drooped her arm around the girl's shoulder, her hand unconsciously soothing Kara's hair. Cat took a few slow breaths, thankful that Kara couldn't hear her racing heart, and actively tried to banish all the inappropriate thoughts that came with the fact that she was sharing her bed with Kara.

"Thank you," she heard Kara sigh relieved, and that put a soft smile on her face, glad that her efforts to help the girl seemed to work.

* * *

Cat was in the kitchen making coffee, her hair damp from the shower she just took, when she heard the unexpected knock. She barely slept for the rest of the night, she just kept lightly playing with Kara's hair till the girl fell asleep, but wouldn't move after that in fear of waking the girl up. She only got up after sun rise to open the windows, remembering Kara saying her powers come from the sun. Opening the front door revealed a tired looking agent that Cat has encountered before. _Alex Danvers._ Behind her, to Cat's surprise, was Lucy Lane. They were both dressed in black tactical uniforms. The utility vest Alex sported added to her daunting posture.

"Agent… _Scully_. Baby Lane, that's certainly an unflattering change of wardrobe," Lucy rolled her eyes at Cat's words, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Where is she?" Alex didn't waste time on pleasantries.

"You're going to have to be a bit more specific."

"Cut the crap, Miss Grant," Alex replied as she took a threatening step forward, her hand went to the gun strapped to her thigh. "Where is my sister?"

"Now you listen—" Cat knew she shouldn't mess with the agent, especially when it came to Kara, but she will not be intimidated in her own home. She only wished she was wearing her heels so that the agent wasn't towering over her.

"Mom?" Cat's words were cut off by Carter's voice. She sent a glare towards Alex, who immediately drew her hand from the gun at the sight of the boy and dropped her threatening stance, then turned to her son.

"Morning, Carter."

"What's going on?" Carter asked nervously.

"Oh nothing sweetheart, this Kara's sister and she just came to check on her," Cat assured her son, "Why don't you go get washed up, while I get started on breakfast."

Cat watched Carter look at Alex skeptically then back to her. At her encouraging smile, Carter nodded and retreated from the foyer. Cat turned to Alex angrily, but Lucy beat her before she could say whatever crafty insult she was about to come up with.

"Miss Grant, we are worried about Kara, and would like to see her," Lucy said, "Please."

"Since you asked so nicely," Cat opened the door further and gestured them in.

"Thank you," Lucy replied as she fell into step behind Alex, who was already assessing the house they were in.

"She's in my bedroom, upstairs, third door to the right," the look Alex gave her rivaled Supergirl's heat vision, and she could've sworn she saw Alex's fingers twitch towards her gun. Lucy groaned, and urged Alex towards the room.

* * *

Alex's resolve crumbled at the sight of her sister curled on herself in the bed. The curtains were drawn open, bathing the room in sunlight, and sound of lapping waves from the beach outside. Alex rushed to her sister's side, surprised that Kara hasn't woken up.

"She only got a few hours of sleep," Cat explained, "She had a fever."

"A fever?" Alex exclaimed, her hand going automatically to Kara's forehead, her face falling slightly. "She doesn't get si—" Alex glanced from Lucy to Cat, the words dying on her lips.

"Oh for God's sake. I know she's Supergirl."

"Miss Grant, you must be confused. Kara, is not—"

"So that's where she gets it from." Cat narrowed her eyes, "For someone who works in the government you'd think you would've came up with... I don't know, a better cover story?" Seeing Alex about to argue again, she added, "Her suit is hanging in my closet. I know! Can we stop wasting time with this charade?"

Alex's gaze turned steely, "If you so much as thi—"

"Yes, yes, dark black hole where no one can find me," Cat rolled her eyes, "I know how to keep a secret Agent Scully, I am the Queen of all Media after all."

"You didn't get to where you are by keeping secrets," came Alex's cold reply. Alex pushed Kara's hair out of her face trying to wake her up.

"Her back… She said she heals quickly but it was getting infected last I checked. I've dressed it best I could, but someone at whichever alphabet government agency you work for should check it out."

At the look of concern on Alex's face, Cat felt her own concern well up. She scolded herself for not calling the agent earlier.

"Kara, wake up," Alex called out, and finally Kara started stirring up.

"Alex?" Kara questioned through half lidded eyes.

"Yeah, Kara, it's me," Alex's reply was soft. Cat wouldn't have believed that was the same person if she hadn't seen the transformation herself. Seems like Kara was a soft spot for everyone.

"Wha—" Kara sat up quickly, but still clearly out of it, "Cat! What—what happ—"

"I'm right here, everything is okay," Cat assured her, and came to stand right next to Alex, much to her disdain. "How are you feeling?"

Kara relaxed, "Better," she shot a tired smile at Cat. "Alex, what are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"Tracked your phone," Alex shrugged as if it was a normal thing, "I was really worried about you, and obviously for good reason."

"I'm sorry I left like that, I just got a bit overwhelmed," Kara explained with down casted eyes.

"It's okay, Kara," Alex reassured, "we would have been here sooner, but we got occupied with a mission all night."

At the mention of 'we', Kara finally noticed Lucy standing in the doorway, who gave her a small wave.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, nothing the DEO can't handle," Alex winked, "speaking of which, we need to take you back to the DEO."

Cat frowned at the idea of Kara leaving, but knew that it was the only possible outcome. It wasn't like the girl would stay with her when she had her own place, her sister, and friends.

"Alex, I'm feeling better already," Kara argued.

"Kara, I ran some tests on your blood," Alex quickly glanced at Lucy who nodded encouragingly, "there was Kryptonite in your system."

Both Cat and Kara were alarmed at that.

"How? I haven't been exposed to kryptonite since that gas trap Max set up."

"What?" Cat asked angrily, "Max Lord used kryptonite on you?"

Kara's eyes widened, realizing that she has probably said too much, "Oh it was nothing, just Max being… Max?"

"That is completely unacceptable," Cat turned on Alex and Lucy, "How could you let him get anywhere near Supergirl? Especially when he has the means to hurt her."

Alex stood tall immediately at the accusation, "Are you accusing me of letting _my sister_ get hurt? Drop the act, Miss Grant. The only reason you care is because if something happens to Supergirl, you lose sales. I can't wait to read your Monday article about how you nursed the girl of steel back to health."

Cat felt anger course through her entire body at Alex's words, "You don't know anything about me or my motivations, agent Danvers. I wo—"

Kara grabbed Cat's hand, causing the woman's words to die at the tip of her tongue at the unexpected contact.

"Alex, she would never publish anything like that. Miss Grant did take care of me yesterday. I lost control over my powers, but she brought me back, and opened up her home for me. It would have been all over the news already if that was her intention."

Cat squeezed Kara's hand as she felt a wave of gratitude for Kara coming to her defense, and for trusting her. Alex looked like she was about to respond, but thought better of it after noticing the hands that were still linked. Cat dropped Kara's hand as she also realized that.

"Kara, we really do need to get you to the DEO," Lucy said, finally walking into the room, "The kryptonite is probably what's messing with your powers. We need to figure out if it's still in your system, and where it came from."

Kara nodded, and stood up slowly. Cat watched as all the color drained from Kara's face, and her body sway dangerously. Both Cat and Alex quickly grabbed each of Kara's arms, steading her.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked with furrowed brows.

Kara took a few deep breaths, then nodded, "Just got really… dizzy?"

"You're probably dehydrated from the fever," Cat supplied, "and you didn't eat anything last night."

"Kara? Not eating? We definitely need to get you to the DEO," Lucy joked breaking the tension in the room.

"I'm fine now," Kara assured. Both Alex and Cat let go of her arms, but kept a watchful hand out, in case the girl ends up collapsing. They walked downstairs to the front door.

"I'll be right behind you, Alex." Kara gave Alex a pointed look, and Lucy dragged a reluctant Alex out of the house, giving Cat and Kara some space.

* * *

"I'm sorry about Alex, she—"

"Cares about you," Cat finished, "I don't blame her. Although I am not used to people yelling at me. If you weren't here…"

"You would've found a way to fire her, even though she didn't work for you," Kara joked.

"Touché," Cat smirked.

"Miss Gr-Cat," Kara corrected herself at Cat's pointed look, "I'm sorry about last night. I was really emotional, and you had to deal with all that."

"You apologize too much," Cat rolled her eyes, "You've been getting a lot of nightmares, haven't you?"

Kara nodded embarrassed.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of Kara. Almost dying is a big deal, especially when it comes to someone as indestructible as you. That had to get to you, and if I know you well, you probably just locked it up at the back of your head, and not talked about it to anyone, so it had to find its own way out. You need to let it out Kara."

"I can't," Kara shook her head, "Alex… after what she did to save me… it would break her heart."

"She's your sister, she cares about you. Not knowing that you are in pain is what will break her heart," Kara shook her head, so Cat changed track, "My door is always open... if you need to talk to someone."

"Thank you, Cat," Kara took her by surprise by hugging her. "I have to go now."

"Ah yes," Cat cleared her throat as she broke the hug, "I hope you feel better."

She struggled to find the right words, and instead watched Kara walk away and get into the car. She wanted to ask the girl to keep her updated, but she didn't have the right to such a request. Cat closed the door as to maintain what's left of her image, and not watch the car drive away, missing Kara looking back at the closed door in slight disappointment.


End file.
